Row over quality of migration data

The Government's statistics agency should be handed emergency cash to improve data on population levels, it is claimed.

Westminster Council called on the Treasury to give extra money to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) following a long-running dispute over the way migrant levels are measured.

Westminster claims its population was vastly under-estimated in the 2001 Census, leaving it out of pocket when Government funds were handed out. The call comes as the ONS is due to issue the latest figures on population estimates for mid-2006.

Westminster deputy leader Colin Barrow has written to Treasury minister Angela Eagle to ask for immediate help to sort out the "statistical mess" following the arrival of eastern Europeans who joined the European Union in two waves in 2004 and at the start of this year.

"We are increasingly worried about the current accuracy and mismanagement of the official population figures," the letter said.

"The present method of measuring migration to and from council areas is no longer fit for purpose and is in need of an urgent injection of resource and Government commitment.

"Instead, the Office for National Statistics is facing £25 million funding cuts while the Treasury itself had only been asked to find £11.9 million savings."

It added: "The ONS has already cut some 700 staff, and has moved to Newport, Wales, in an effort to further cut costs.

"As a consequence, it has been reported that the official statistics body is now facing recruitment and retention problems."

Mr Barrow asked for emergency funding to be made available to the ONS to measure short-term migration before new funding schemes are drawn up later this year.